OWRS to acquire Trans-Am!

[Ac.]

If the Formula BMW rumour is true then it is likely only the tip of the iceberg. Here is some wild speculation on what PG may be cooking up...

2004 - Formula BMW becomes the bottom rung for Champ Car
2005 - Toyota Atlantic becomes BMW Atlantic(makes sense with Toyota throwing their support at the IRL and F1)
2006 - BMW engines power some Champ Car Teams

By 2006 BMW becomes the major engine source for the various Champ Car series. This approach helps deliver the key 25-35 year old, affluent male demographic to their advertising efforts. It would also bring a great deal of sponsorship dollars to Champ Car.

[Emfa]

Interesting speculation Ac! Not too hard to imagine either. (What about getting BMW's into TA as well???) That would be very cool IMHO.

[Flatspot]

Note from another thread:
Gentilozzi is interested in adding a multi-manufacturer sedan series to the list of support classes. Geez, do you suppose there's room for a few 325's in that class?

Looks like the fat lady didn't just go on a diet, she got her stomach stapled.

[gttouring]

Instead of reinventing the Wheel- PG should invite Speed TC to their venues. Speed GT and TC being so tied to ALMS, a loose tie for all road racing isn't bad. SpeedTC could really draw in the 'tuner crowd' and it would star BMW for one thing, and the BMW 6 maybe can get tossed on as a body for T/A and have the show carry on as such. Corvette, Jaguar, BMW, Mustang, and Panoz T/A could be very very cool this way

[paul-collins]

Yeah, Speed WC is great, what we need is another series exactly like it to bleed off entries.

Drifting? PuhLEEEZ.

[paul-collins]

One thing should be noted:

PG does not (did not) own Trans Am, just the management company (Trans Am Racing) that had the license to market the series last year. TAR is what OWRS has bought - and they don't have a license on the series for 2004.

OWRS wishes to purchase the TA series and name lock, stock, and barrel from SCCA-Pro, who have owned it since its inception. If they are unsuccessful, they will take the entries that PG has committed to him and run a copy of the series under a new name. PG claims to have 15 full time entries.

So essentially PG has screwed SCCA-Pro, leaving it until the last minute so that their only options are to (a) sell the series to him or (b) not run it next year, since their entries are committed to PG, not the series.

Of course, there is a third option for SCCA-Pro - the fledgeling series discussed here:

http://www.tainternetleague.com/comm...=ST&f=2&t=2710

[Emfa]

Thanks for the clarification Paul - I had obviously missed that little detail.

You make it sound like there is bad blood between PG & the SCCA (or just SCCA-Pro?). Am I reading that correctly? I would have viewed that differently with there being talk of a tie-in to Speed TC, and also considering CART's relationship with the SCCA (i.e. using their track workers). Or am I way off track here? :confused:

[billiaml]

Originally posted by Emfa
Thanks for the clarification Paul - I had obviously missed that little detail.

You make it sound like there is bad blood between PG & the SCCA (or just SCCA-Pro?). Am I reading that correctly? I would have viewed that differently with there being talk of a tie-in to Speed TC, and also considering CART's relationship with the SCCA (i.e. using their track workers). Or am I way off track here? :confused:

You're not the only one & :confused: It'll be very interesting to see how this plays out.

[gttouring]

PG is being an ass- trying to control and rewrite a historical series like Trans-Am, promote and gather entries for it but be happy you can be part of such a tradition, the upstart Trans-Am Gt1 league should get SCCA-pro to back it and let PG fall on his face. he is going to alienate lots pf volunteer corner workers and flagmen/marshalls, and scca drivers, who wish to race in its pro series, Paul just let one thing not be in your control please, work with it not against it.

[paul-collins]

Note he didn't say Speed WC, he said like Speed WC. Speed WC has entered an agreement with ALMS for this year, so SCCA-Pro won't be negotiating anything like that for OWRS next year.

The "bad-blood" angle hadn't occurred to me until just before I posted at (checks a few posts above this one) 14:03 EST today. I have absolutely no concrete reason to believe there is any at all - but if it walks like a duck and quacks...

Liz, you're queen of the WC, have you talked to any of those guys since all of this started to unfold?

[paul-collins]

Here's SCCA-Pro's take:

TOPEKA, Kan -- With the announced agreement this week regarding the acquisition of Trans-Am Racing, LLC by Open Wheel Racing Series, LLC, Sports Car Club of America, Inc. has issued the following statement clarifying its ownership, and the current and future use of the Trans-Am® name:

Trans-Am® is a registered trademark of Sports Car Club of America, Inc. (SCCA), and it has been since 1970. In that time, SCCA has entered into licensing agreements with companies including, but not limited to, General Motors, Spalding, Panoz/Sanchez Group and Trans-Am Racing, LLC.

The agreement with Trans-Am Racing, LLC, the organizer of the 2003 Trans-Am® series, was for use of the name Trans-Am® and its operational and marketing rights for the 2003 season. That agreement expires after December 31, 2003.

SCCA is open to a future agreement and there have been discussions between SCCA and Trans-Am Racing, LLC regarding this. However, at this time, there is no such agreement in place for 2004.

-http://www.tainternetleague.com/community/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=2720&st=25

[Liz]

It's my understanding that the Speed World Challenge deal is a multi-year contract. The vast majority of my SWC contacts are delighted to be racing with ALMS (some of them want to move up, or back and forth anyway); and don't think much about open wheel type stuff.

[paul-collins]

Thanks, Liz. So that's why PG thinks he'd need to start a whole new one.

"I can't have the one that exists, so I'll just create an inferior version and draw off some blood from it, so that neither is strong enough to survive." You'd think that we'd have had enough of that.

Oh, well, I'm sure he was just blowin' smoke, musing out loud...

[paul-collins]

http://www.tainternetleague.com/comm...2&t=2710&st=25

It appears this concept is gaining momentum. They are tentatively scheduled as the headliner for the May 21 event at Mosport. Talks are also progressing to partake in the July 4th weekend with ALMS at Lime Rock.

-Todd Benne

[Dov]

Hi Paul,

I looked at the Mosport website just now and I couldn't find anything new updated on the 2004 tenative schedule for May 21 (Victoria Day Weekend)....

[paul-collins]

I know - they have no details. I don't know where Todd gets his info, as I haven't seen any websites other than his detailing this new tubeframe series.

[Dov]

Originally posted by jjspierx
Yeah, I hadn't heard anything about Formula BMW again until today...but yep, I was wrong, it does seem like it will replace Barber Dodge Pro. I still think its a bad idea to replace a step on the CART ladder by switching from cars the make 265hp, to 135hp. Thats a huge step down.

From Cart.com:
http://www.cart.com/News/Article.asp?ID=7451

BARBER DODGE TO OPEN '04 AT SEBRING
Monday, December 22, 2003

LADDER SERIES NEWS

LAKEVILLE, Conn. - The Barber Dodge Pro Series will open its 19th season of competition with a return to Sebring International Raceway March 17 - 19, 2004, in support of the 52nd running of the Mobil 1 12-Hours of Sebring. Under Barber Dodge's new double-race format, race one will green flag Thursday afternoon, Mar. 18, with race two the following afternoon, Friday, March 19.

The Barber Dodge heritage is strongly linked to the historic 12-hour event; the Champ Car sanctioned series has run there every year since 1992, and in fact was the series' season opener for five straight years (1998 through 2002), the exception being this past season. Prior winners include Kenny Bräck (1993) and rising star A.J. Allmendinger (2002), while the Sebring Barber Dodge podium has been visited by the likes of Juan Pablo Montoya, Jerry Nadeau (twice), the late Tony Renna (also twice), Michael Valiante (yes, twice), 2002 Toyota Atlantic champion Jon Fogarty, and 2003 Champ Car race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Barber Dodge Series Director Rick Ratajczak says, "I can't tell you how pleased I am to announce that we're coming back to Sebring for 2004. It's been a traditional opener for us over the years. Barber Dodge typically puts on a terrific show here, and great drivers always seem to rise to the top at Sebring."

"It's great to have Barber Dodge back after its one year 'hiatus,' said Tres Stephenson, Sebring International Raceway President and General Manager. "Our fans love seeing the open wheelers go at it, and most of them know they're seeing the big stars of the future, right at the point when the drivers are just making a name for themselves."

Regarding TV, Barber Dodge officials are in discussions with SPEED Channel to again broadcast the races (as it has since 2002), including the Sebring openers.

I'm a little confused myself, is OWRS going to replace Barber Dodge with Formula BMW or could they possibly want both of them... :confused:

[muggle not]

paul-collins ....I have been contacted by Woodson Duncan of the new group and he sent me a copy of their "Talking Points for a Road Racing Series". I can post the letter in its entirety here if you like as he gave me permission to disseminate information.

[paul-collins]

Please do, muggle not. Is there more to it than what Todd Benne had posted on tainternetleague.com?

[Jay]

I hope they kill Barber Dodge - those cars are heavy things that are very difficult to drive for a trainer (the Atlantics are much friendlier - and much more nimble from the drivers I've spoken to), they sound like IRL cars, look beastly and the equipment is about as even as Skip Barber sees on giving it out (ie if you think AJ Allmendinger had an equal car to everyone else - you should watch less racing on TV).

[muggle not]

It is the same as what was posted on the tainternetleague.
I took some of the cost related info out of the memo. From what I can tell interest is gaining some momentum in the new series.

Talking Points For a New Road Race Series


November 16, 2003


Overview: Currently a large field of tube frame GT style cars exists with out an owner friendly venue. The field consists of Grand-Am GTS, Trans-Am and SCCA GT-1 cars. The cars are colorful, high horsepower, purpose built, tube frame, composite bodied, racecars, with silhouettes resembling American Muscle Cars. Currently slight variations exist from the various sanctioning bodies.

After discussions with several drivers, and car owners there is support for a new series featuring GTS/ Trans-Am/GT-1 type cars.



Initial Input: The series could combine sprint and endurance weekends with most of the races being sprint races. The goal would be to maximize track time for everyone. A typical weekend would encompass a practice/tune day and a race day. Race day would include a short practice, qualifying, a short heat race, and a feature. The feature would typically be a tank of gas. If there is enough interest a couple of three to four hour enduros could be added through out the season.



Additional consideration includes: Travel distances (does the series stay regional?). Is a summer series sufficient or do we expand to points south to extend the season?



Issues: Formation of sanctioning body, creating specs that would allow every competitor the opportunity to win, track time, budgets, funding, profile (is the target a high profile, professional series?).



Current Status: Discussions to date have provided the following possibilities.

· Track time is available as follows:

o Road Atlanta Easter weekend (three days)

o Carolina Motor sports Park Weekends May and June

o Lime Rock June 89db limit cost detail to follow*

o Summit Point (to be determined)

o Pocono Long course August/July weekend*

o Watkins Glen weekend, end of Sept.*

o Discussions with Barber Dodge Pro series may have three or more dates next year for a co-sanctioned event (discussions infant stage).

· Board of Directors discussions

o Irv Hoerr

o Bob Sharp

· Insurance

o Currently Seeking Quotations

· Legal Entity

o Seeking Counsel



Conclusions: Without much effort: it appears that interest wise there is critical mass, track time in one form or another is available.



Action: I am looking for input and commitments to show up for some or all of the proposed races. And as interest grows I will be seeking membership subscriptions.



Please take the time to consider the series and forward input to me. Also share the memo with anyone you know that has coincidental equipment and interest.



Woodson Duncan

Sky Blue Racing

121 Middlebrook Farm Road

Wilton, CT 06897

203.563.0682

wbduncan@optonline.net

[gttouring]

concerning the ldder series to CART-
the Barber dodge they would replace isn't the por cars but the series' cars-in a way
RACER mag this month shows the ladder.
from karts- to Formula BMW then to Dodge Series (which is like FF2000) then of to barber dodge pro series, then formula atlantics.
it seems the rung afte karts is redundant and Skippy Series will have to reevaluate or redo their cars a bit, in either one of their branches.

[Dov]

From Autoweek.com: http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?p..._code=09656878

12:01 Dec. 29, 2003)
SCCA reasserts ownership of Trans-Am name

The Sports Car Club of America has reasserted its ownership of the Trans-Am name in a forthright response to the recent announcement Paul Gentilozzi’s Trans-Am Racing LLC company had been acquired by Open Wheel Racing Series LLC. The SCCA stated “Trans-Am” had been its registered trademark since 1970, and that its contract with Trans-Am Racing, for the use of the name and its operational and marketing rights, expires Dec. 31.
The SCCA said it was open to a future agreement but added that there had been no discussions with Trans-Am Racing. Since 1970, the SCCA has entered into licensing agreements covering its touring car race series with companies including General Motors, Spalding and Panoz/Sanchez Group, prior to Gentilozzi’s purpose-formed Trans-Am Racing venture.

[GP Racer]

So this means that the SCCA owns the Trans Am name, but it doesn't have a race right now, because its contract with Gentilozzi is finished. Gentilozzi owned the majority of cars and teams in that series.

So basically, if the SCCA and PG cannot come to an agreement on the operational and marketing rights, there won't be a Trans Am series at all. Both PG and the SCCA will both be out of luck here, and most importantly, a series dies.

Am I reading this correctly? :confused:

[Dov]

Couldn't PG just change the name of the series? I hope they do come to some sort of agreement....